Ben Azzai was sitting and learning and there was fire all around him. (The other students) went and told Rabbi Akiba, "Rabbi Ben Azzai is sitting and learning and there is fire burning all around him. (Rabbi Akiba) went to him and said, "I heard that you were learning and there was fire burning all around you." He (Ben Azzai) said, "Yes." He (Rabbi Akiba) said to him, "Perhaps you were dealing with the Chambers of the Chariot?" He said to him, "No, but I was sitting and stringing the words of Torah, and from the Torah to the Prophets, and from the Prophets to the Writings, and the words were as happy as when they were given on Sinai, and as sweet as when they were very first given. For was not their very first giving at Sinai with fire? As it is written (Deuteronomy 4:11) And the mountain burned with fire."

Rabbi Abahu was sitting and learning and there was fire burning all around him. He said (to himself) "Perhaps I'm not stringing the words of Torah correctly, since Rabbi Levy said, 'There are those who know how to string and don't know how to drill, and those who know how to drill but don't know how to string. But I'm both a stringer and a driller.'"